The magical mantra to chant before and after your meals – Wisdom by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

When you say this, you are wishing prosperity for three people. One is to the farmer; the second is to the trader who buys from the farmers and sells the produce, and the third is to the people who cook the food and serve it to you.

First, we wish well for the FARMERS. When the farmers are happy, then the ones who eat the food will also be happy. But, if the farmers are unhappy, and they are shedding tears and giving us food, then when we eat that food, we become sick. So, you must wish the farmers good health and happiness.

Then we should wish well for the traders. If the merchants do their business properly, by not being greedy and not hoarding things, then there will be no dearth of food in the country. If there is a problem in our country, it is because of wrong government policies and the hoarding attitude of businessmen. As a result of this, it is the FARMERS who suffer the most.

Then we should wish well for the people who who cook the food and serve it to us. There should be no tears in the eyes of the person who is cooking the food. It is not going to do you any good.

So, when you say “Annadata Sukhi Bhava” every day, you are praying for the person who cooks the food to be happy; you are praying for the merchant to conduct his business in a fair and just manner (not out of greed), and you are wishing the FARMER a happy life. If these three people are happy, then the society is happy.

If you really look at it, the true ANNADATA (the Giver of Food) is none other than GOD himself. And GOD is always happy and content. Does GOD ever become unhappy?

No! Yet, at the level of this gross material world that we are in, we pray to GOD who is the ultimate nurturer, for the HAPPINESS and well-being of these three people who help to provide us with food. We all should CHANT this every day, both before and after our meals.

Bless them BEFORE and AFTER you have had your food.